How to Get a More Flexible Back

Flexibility in your back is important for many sports, including gymnastics, figure skating, and dancing. Increasing your flexibility can only be accomplished over time and can be a challenging task, depending on your body type. Stretching your back, along with other muscles that work in tandem with your back, is the best way to improve overall flexibility. Many yoga poses also incorporate these kinds of stretches.

Note: Remember to consult a physician before attempting any new workout program; what is appropriate for one person may be hazardous for another. Get professional guidance in attempting these poses, as there are safety protocols to prevent injury. Remember to properly warm up before attempting these stretches, as these poses can be a risk of injury if attempted without loosening up first.

Try a bow pose. While lying flat on your stomach, bend your knees so that your feet point up toward the ceiling and reach behind you to grab your ankles. Lift up with your arms and feet to feel a nice stretch in your arm, leg, and back muscles.[1]

Hold the pose for 20-30 seconds, then exit the bow pose on an exhale breath.

You may repeat the pose several times for better results.

Once your body adjusts to this level of stretching, a more advanced move would be to reach farther up and grab the tips of your toes. This will pull your legs more upward toward the ceiling, and stretch all of the muscles being used even further.

Try a cat stretch. Get on all fours with your palms flat on the ground and your legs hip-width apart. As you inhale, tilt your head back toward the ceiling and push your bellybutton down towards the ground. Hold this position for several breaths. On an exhale breath, bring your head down and tuck your chin to your chest as you arch your back up towards the ceiling. Hold this pose for several breaths.[2]

For an extra back stretch, slowly slide your arms forward on the mat while arching your back until you get your shoulders to touch the ground.

Do a cobra stretch. Lie on your stomach with your elbows bent and your hands by your sides. Slowly straighten your arms as you inhale, lifting your upper body, and tilt your head back towards the ceiling. Make you’re your pelvis stays firmly planted on the ground.[3]

Keep your leg muscles tensed and thigh muscles contracted.

Hold the position for at least 40 seconds and let your muscles stretch with the pose.

Once you become comfortable with this pose, you can try bending your legs upward at the knees and reaching your head back to touch your toes.

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Stretch into the swan position. Kneel on the ground with your big toes touching and your heels pointed outwards apart. Walk your hands forward on the ground in front of you and keep your tailbone planted firmly on top of your feet. Once your arms are fully extended in front of you, push your forehead down toward the ground.

Hold this pose for one to two minutes while you inhale and exhale. Inhaling will expand your stretch and be very beneficial for your back muscles.

Stretch into camel pose if you don’t already have a sore back. While kneeling with your legs shoulder-width apart, push your hips forward and lean back until you feel a stretch. This can be done with or without supporting yourself with your hands. Place your arms behind you and reach down to rest the palms of your hands on the bottoms of your upturned feet.[4]

Pull your elbows together behind you and lift your sternum up toward the ceiling. This will open up your chest and initiate a nice stretch in your back.

If you cannot sink backwards enough to reach the heels, use yoga blocks or other props to support your back.

Keep your back straight while you attempt a pike stretch. Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you. Start by reaching your arms upwards toward the ceiling. Gently lean forward and reach towards your toes. This stretches the hamstrings, leg muscles, and the lower back.[5]

The goal is not actually to reach your toes, but to straighten and lengthen the back. A mistake in form is to be focused on the feet rather than the back. This is a back exercise, not a foot-grabbing game.

Use props to get the form proper. Thera bands, rolled up towels, and belts can all be wrapped around the feet to get into a modified form.

As an alternate method, you can try the pike stretch from a standing position. While standing erect, bend forward at the waist and reach towards the ground. Bend forward far enough to feel a comfortable stretch in the back and legs.

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Lean into the mermaid stretch. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your legs tucked underneath your body to the left side. Hold onto your ankles with your left hand and raise your right arm. On an inhale, extend your right arm over your head and reach toward the ceiling. Exhale your breath and feel the stretch in your torso and back muscles.[6]

Hold the pose for 20-30 seconds, then repeat the movement several times.

Be sure to switch sides, with your legs under your body to the right and your left arm extending over your head.

Strengthen your back with a bridge stretch. Lie down on your back with your knees and arms spread shoulder-width apart and push your hips up toward the ceiling. Place a block (or any other sturdy object) under your backside – this can be under your buttocks, your lower back, or any other position that feels natural to you. Let your arms rest out to your side while your shoulders and head are flat on the ground. Hold this position for several minutes while you breathe in and out.[7]

You can also forego the support prop and push up with your arms on the ground into a true bridge position. This is a more advanced way to increase flexibility in your back.

Try a standing split stretch. Go down on your left knee and place your right foot straight in front of you, as if you were doing a cheat version of the splits. Touch your right foot with both hands and then try to touch your knee with your forehead. Hold this pose for at least 15 seconds.

Bring your left arm over your body and try to touch your right foot. Hold this position, then turn as far as you can to the right and hold again.

All of your muscles work in tandem together – so strengthening your other muscles (like your leg and core muscles) will help improve back flexibility. Having a strong core will allow you to work on your back flexibility by being able to engage in more poses, stretch further into your poses, and have more endurance during physical activities.

Work your way down to floor splits. Go into a lunge position and push your pelvis down towards the ground. If you feel pressure or pain, lessen the degree of your lunge. Sit back onto your bended knee and stretch out your front leg. Try to put your forehead to your knee – you should feel a stretch in your hamstring.[8]

From this position, try slowly going down into the splits. Go down and far as you can without hurting yourself and hold this position for 30 seconds.

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Adjust the stretches to suit your specific needs. Remember that all of your muscles work together to make one strong body – so a flexible, strong back requires flexible, strong muscles in other parts of the body as well. If you can’t quite get down into the splits or reach all the way to your toes, that’s fine. The more you practice and work on your stretches, the more flexible you’ll become.[9]

Community Q&A

Every body is different. Someone might need one week. Another person would need one month. It depends on your flexibility but work every day until after you get your back to be more flexible because if you quit right after, you might lose the skill.

If you are stretching after a warm up, you should hold these stretches for around 8 seconds. If you are stretching after a workout, then you can hold these stretches for as long as you are able to (not to be taken to extremes).

Start on your knees with about 2 meters of space in front of you. Practice rolling forwards with your hands behind your shoulders pushing your legs forward. It is important not to force yourself into this stunt as it takes time and you do not want to injure yourself. Keep trying to get further and further until you can hold it.

Have your splits, but if you don't, you need extra back flexibility. Start with your opposite hand to leg up. (For the purpose of this we'll say we have our right split. If you like your left, then swap these around.) So you have your right hand straight up. Then lift your left leg up and grab around your ankle area. Then pull with your hand but mainly push with your leg, and grab your leg with your other hand. Pull and look up at your foot. This is a scorpion. For a needle, just walk your hands down your calf as low as needed and then pull straight for a needle.

Reader Success Stories

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Aniyah Davis

Jun 15, 2016

"When I started doing these stretches, it really helped me with my back-bends from standing up! For some people, stretches might take days, months, or even years, but I can accomplish so many right now. Today I am an athlete, I do tumbling. So try it, please!"..." more

JR

Julia Reid

Aug 8

"Very clear text with helpful supporting illustrations, strong emphasis on safety and purpose of exercising, promotes healthy habits and the expectation that these exercises will improve flexibility gradually."..." more

IA

Ishad Ali

Feb 13

"All of it helped. I have a bad back, and following these tips/exercise, I was able to improve my posture and strength."..." more

KK

Kasi Kasturi

Apr 5, 2016

"Very helpful. Different positions and steps to perform those position are given here."